Stock Analysis

Should You Be Adding Option Care Health (NASDAQ:OPCH) To Your Watchlist Today?

NasdaqGS:OPCH
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For beginners, it can seem like a good idea (and an exciting prospect) to buy a company that tells a good story to investors, even if it currently lacks a track record of revenue and profit. But as Peter Lynch said in One Up On Wall Street, 'Long shots almost never pay off.' A loss-making company is yet to prove itself with profit, and eventually the inflow of external capital may dry up.

In contrast to all that, many investors prefer to focus on companies like Option Care Health (NASDAQ:OPCH), which has not only revenues, but also profits. While this doesn't necessarily speak to whether it's undervalued, the profitability of the business is enough to warrant some appreciation - especially if its growing.

Check out our latest analysis for Option Care Health

Option Care Health's Improving Profits

Option Care Health has undergone a massive growth in earnings per share over the last three years. So much so that this three year growth rate wouldn't be a fair assessment of the company's future. As a result, we'll zoom in on growth over the last year, instead. Impressively, Option Care Health's EPS catapulted from US$0.45 to US$0.98, over the last year. Year on year growth of 116% is certainly a sight to behold.

Careful consideration of revenue growth and earnings before interest and taxation (EBIT) margins can help inform a view on the sustainability of the recent profit growth. EBIT margins for Option Care Health remained fairly unchanged over the last year, however the company should be pleased to report its revenue growth for the period of 16% to US$3.8b. That's progress.

You can take a look at the company's revenue and earnings growth trend, in the chart below. For finer detail, click on the image.

earnings-and-revenue-history
NasdaqGS:OPCH Earnings and Revenue History January 4th 2023

While we live in the present moment, there's little doubt that the future matters most in the investment decision process. So why not check this interactive chart depicting future EPS estimates, for Option Care Health?

Are Option Care Health Insiders Aligned With All Shareholders?

We would not expect to see insiders owning a large percentage of a US$5.4b company like Option Care Health. But thanks to their investment in the company, it's pleasing to see that there are still incentives to align their actions with the shareholders. As a matter of fact, their holding is valued at US$19m. That shows significant buy-in, and may indicate conviction in the business strategy. Even though that's only about 0.4% of the company, it's enough money to indicate alignment between the leaders of the business and ordinary shareholders.

It's good to see that insiders are invested in the company, but are remuneration levels reasonable? Well, based on the CEO pay, you'd argue that they are indeed. For companies with market capitalisations between US$4.0b and US$12b, like Option Care Health, the median CEO pay is around US$8.4m.

Option Care Health offered total compensation worth US$7.4m to its CEO in the year to December 2021. That seems pretty reasonable, especially given it's below the median for similar sized companies. While the level of CEO compensation shouldn't be the biggest factor in how the company is viewed, modest remuneration is a positive, because it suggests that the board keeps shareholder interests in mind. It can also be a sign of good governance, more generally.

Is Option Care Health Worth Keeping An Eye On?

Option Care Health's earnings per share have been soaring, with growth rates sky high. The cherry on top is that insiders own a bucket-load of shares, and the CEO pay seems really quite reasonable. The sharp increase in earnings could signal good business momentum. Option Care Health certainly ticks a few boxes, so we think it's probably well worth further consideration. Still, you should learn about the 1 warning sign we've spotted with Option Care Health.

The beauty of investing is that you can invest in almost any company you want. But if you prefer to focus on stocks that have demonstrated insider buying, here is a list of companies with insider buying in the last three months.

Please note the insider transactions discussed in this article refer to reportable transactions in the relevant jurisdiction.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.